Sable Heart
by shadowjack12345
Summary: Raven, exploring her emotional freedom after the defeat of Trigon (thought it is set after Tokyo) comes to terms with new sensations. BBRae.
1. The Demon Who Could Laugh

**Sable Heart 1 - The Demon Who Could Laugh**

**Inspired by a deceptively simple prompt on tumblr, I begin my latest story. I'm sure you know what to expect by now: pointless fluff, long words and occasional drama. I'm going to be stealing some backstory from the comics as well (pre-flashpoint, there's not enough about Raven yet to use the new 52).**

Raven's life was not as she had expected. And for that she was grateful beyond expression, even for her own, extensive vocabulary. As a child, she had been taught the danger of emotions, of reckless feelings. She understood that, she really did. They had done what they thought was right and best for her and the world(s) around her. Control did not come easily, not because of her demonic heritage but for another, very simple reason: she was human at heart. Unlike the founders of the Azarath, the humans who had joined Azar long ago in that other plane, she couldn't rely on mysticism to merely cast out her darker impulses. Indeed, they learned too late that their methods had dire consequences, for them and the multiverse. The evil they had exorcised coalesced in the nether-realms and remained there. Until, that is, it was unwisely used by an alien cult to impregnate one of their members. The unfortunate woman gave birth to Trigon who slaughtered the cult and his own mother in his infancy, conquered and destroyed their world as a child and dominated his entire reality by his thirtieth year. Raven occasionally enjoyed the idea that the monks of Azarath ended up training her, his daughter, to fight him, the demon they had unwittingly fathered and inflicted upon existence. That had been her expectation of her life: to resist Trigon if possible. To die at sixteen if not, which had always seemed likely. She often wondered why she had originally joined the Titans. She never volunteered information about her past so never asked them to help her. Perhaps... perhaps she thought she could add a little good to the world before giving it over to evil.

Anyway, that was all moot now. Somehow, she had resisted. She had fought. She had thrown down the demon and his voice, always whispering in her dreams, had gone silent. He hadn't died. At least, not in a way humans would recognise. In his defeat, he had been returned to the nether-realm and unless someone mustered the power (and stupidity) to try and summon him, there he would remain. Raven didn't especially fear that: summoning a live demon of Trigon's power from that place would be incalculably more difficult than summoning that original, raw essence. So there she was, the girl who had ended the world and saved it in the same day, armed with the hope and love of her friends. And that wasn't all... the most notable difference between her expectation and reality (not including her apocalyptic destiny, of course) were her emotions. She had tried not to feel, to join with her friends in their joys and miseries, their tantrums and exultations. But it was too much. The monks had thoughts as ordered as her own and expressed little interest in anything more than civility with her. These four beings, all unique and amazing, wanted to be her friend.

To _know_ her.

She turned them away for their own safety... at first. Then she stopped trying as hard. After she and Starfire had their bizarre body-swap, she had allowed the girl to remain close instead of pushing her away as she knew she should. Allowed her to become her friend. Perhaps her closest friend. Robin's manner and professionalism gained her respect. His humanity changed that into admiration. His rescue of her child-self from Trigon had changed it again into kinship. Cyborg had wormed his way in there as well, always playing big brother. And then, to her continued amazement, _she_ had reached out to _him_, consoling him over something as trivial as a car. Only it wasn't trivial, not to him. And so it was no longer trivial to her. She remembered smiling that night, filled with a lightness of heart she couldn't name.

And then there was Beast Boy.

An annoyance in green with appalling jokes and non-existent manners who also happened to be a shape-shifter of astonishing power. He had told her once that his powers came from the Red, an ancient force that connected all animal life in the universe. The notion of something so primal and unknowable being connected to the playful, rambunctious and often all-too-irritating Beast Boy hurt her brain. Still, out of the whole team, nobody could incite emotion in Raven like he could. Granted it was almost always frustration and anger but still a notable talent. She couldn't remember when it had started but one day she had remarked sarcastically after one of his terrible jokes and that had defined their tumultuous friendship from then on. She had denied it for years but there was something about him, something that pushed her to speak her mind, even when it was just a quip. She had even called him funny not long after they had met, and error she regretted almost every day since. Yes, he had drawn her out of her shell, though it was only so she could wring his neck.

Her friends had been her teachers. Her family. Thanks to them, she could feel. She was able to connect to three children, seeing in them an innocence she had never kept for herself. She was Raven, the demon who could laugh, cry and smile. And without Trigon's corruption waiting in the metaphysical wings, she could feel more freely. So she did, relaxing her strict control on her emotions, slowly and carefully. She felt love for her friends. For Melvin, Timmy and Teether. But it had always been slightly detached, like pressing your hand against another with a pane of glass in-between. Now she knew she loved them. All of them. It flowed through her being like shining water. She hadn't told her friends of her efforts but they all noticed, silently agreeing to let Raven grow at her own pace. They noticed when she laughed for the first time at breakfast, caught up in Starfire's joy. Robin noticed how she smiled at Cyborg and Beast Boy as they played and argued, somehow all still friendly. Starfire noticed her comfortably silent acceptance of Starfire's 'talk of the girls', smiling in all the right places. Beast Boy had celebrated loudly when Raven agreed to play a game of hide and seek with him and her kids, visiting the tower. However, there was once change that nobody noticed but Raven. A not altogether unpleasant sinking sensation in her stomach. A heat that flowed through her body as her heart picked up speed. The sensations alarmed her: they were reminiscent of the warmth she had felt for her false idea of Malchior. Also, there were reminders of the embarrassingly girly moment she had when they met Aqualad. Without her emotional control, though, the feelings were more intense and exciting than she was prepared for. In her desperation, she had turned to a magazine left in her room by Starfire, one ostensibly aimed at teenage girls. Conveniently, it had a quiz in its pages to help the reader determine whether or not she really liked someone. Raven quickly disregarded many of the questions: they bore little relevance to her life, not being a typical girl by any measure. She asked herself the remainders.

"Question 1... 'Does your stomach flip when they walk in the room?' Hmmm..." She thought long about this, recalling several instances and forced to admit... "Yes. Yes, I suppose it does. A little." She moved to the next (relevant) question.

"Question 7... 'Do you get tongue-tied around them?' Not exactly... though when I really want to tell him something it doesn't come as easily as it used to," she admitted. She moved on.

"Question 13... 'Do you react strongly when they touch you?' *sigh*... Yes." On a recent mission, he had reached out to help her stand. She had flinched away as soon as she recognised him, later explaining it away by lying about her arm already being bruised, which caused him to apologise for hurting her, which left her feeling even worse about the lie. She shook her head and moved on again.

"Question 16... 'Do you find yourself focusing on one detail of their appearance?' I can't believe I'm saying it but... I think I kinda dig the ears." She moved on to the last question.

"Question 20... 'Without thinking, do you like them?' Yeah... yes, I think I do." With that, she rolled up the magazine and tossed it, carelessly, over her shoulder. She rested her head in her hand and stared glumly at her bedroom door.

"Greeeeeeeeeeeaaaaat... I've got a crush on Beast Boy."

**It starts again... Let me know what you think!**

**-Jack.**


	2. Light Up the Babe-Signal

**Sable Heart 2 - Light Up the Babe-Signal**

**Now that the premise is set, let's see what Raven does or doesn't do with her newfound self-discovery.**

**Oh, and I defos don't own the Titans or make money from this or whatever.**

It was a morning like any other. There was absolutely nothing significantly different from the previous morning, or the one before that or the one before that or that. That was Raven told herself. Repeatedly. In fact, she had been assuring herself of it for just over ten minutes as she stared at her bedroom door. For some reason, admitting her crush on her green colleague and friend had led to another emotion: fear. The contradiction gave her a headache. She was anxious to see Beast Boy but, at the same time, anxious _about_ seeing Beast Boy. So here she stood, literally at the threshold and unable to decide whether she should go back or forward. She thought out loud as she pondered her options.

"Plan A: stay here. The safer option which, in most cases, usually means the better option. And one can never have too much meditation when dealing with complex issues. Plan B: go out there. This also has advantages. Specifically, the food is there and starvation is generally bad. But Beast Boy is also out there somewhere. But he won't know. *Sigh*... I can't really stay here, can I?" she said, directing her question toward a shadowy corner that concealed a large, stuffed chicken. She had named it Aristotle but, ungratefully, it didn't answer. Raven nodded to herself and tapped the door control, opening it before her. "That's what I thought," she grumbled and finally exited her room. As she walked down the corridor she reached out with her empathic senses - only Robin and Starfire were in the common room. Cyborg was awake but still in his room and Beast Boy... his emotions were clouded and sluggish. He was still asleep. Relieved that she wouldn't have to face him yet, she increased her pace and stepped into the common room. She wished Robin and Starfire a polite good morning, not breaking stride as she headed to the kitchen. She set her teapot on the stove and popped a couple of slices of bread in the toaster. She leaned against the counter as she waited, glancing over to Robin and Starfire. They sat watching the TV, leaning against each other. It wasn't exactly a grand gesture but their casual intimacy, the comfort they took in closeness set Raven's imagination alight. Before she could try and stop it, she had pictured herself sitting with Beast Boy in a similar fashion, her cheeks becoming slightly flushed for a few seconds. She shook her head and finished preparing her breakfast, though the mental image lingered. She joined the others on the couch, though she kept her distance, respecting their privacy. She tried to watch the news herself but her mind was suddenly knocked off-course by a new sensation:

Beast Boy had just woken up.

She felt his muddy emotions sharpen as he did, almost smirking at his disappointment: obviously he had been having a good dream. She closed her eyes and followed his aura as he left his room. A burst of warmth and humour told her he had met Cyborg on the way, the other Titan mirroring his friend's emotions. All too soon and long before Raven felt ready, the door opened and their voices spilled through. She opened her eyes again and stared at her hands: they were trembling. She couldn't fathom it. Her feelings for Beast Boy hadn't changed since yesterday, had they? She had only voiced what had been there all along. She clenched her fists and ruthlessly stilled her shaking hands. Whatever her emotional state, it wouldn't do for her to appear anxious. She reached out and a book appeared in her hand, surrounded momentarily by a black nimbus. She opened the book and scanned the page, attempting to distract her mind and give her hands something to do other than shiver. She had read the same paragraph a dozen times when she felt Beast Boy and Cyborg sit on the couch between herself and the couple at the far end. The news had finished and Robin granted permission for his friends to play a game. As the bright flashes and grating beeps and blips filled the room, Raven maintained her silence where she might normally have protested or at least stung the pair with a well chosen insult or three. She read the paragraph another few times. The words were still not sinking in, even when she focused on them to the exclusion of all else. She lost count of how many times she read them. She was vaguely aware of her friends' voices, two of which had risen in volume and pace. She read the paragraph again and again and again... and something fell in her lap. She cried out for a moment in surprise, looking down at her attacker. A pair of tearful green eyes stared up, complete with pointy ears and a trembling pout.

"B-Beast Boy?!" she squeaked. His tears flowed but she sensed his merriment.

"Raaaaaaaaeeeee... Cy's picking on meeeeeee!" he bawled, his eyes somehow growing in size. Raven cringed away. She wasn't prepared for this. However, she couldn't move much as Beast Boy's head still lay in her lap. Cyborg's bellowing laughter attracted everyone's attention, giving Raven a chance to collect herself.

"Ha! Seriously, B? I'm not picking on you, just confronting you with the inescapable truth. You, my little buddy, are full of _suck_! So much suck that when you pick up the controller, it runs through you, into the game and makes your guy suck too. Hiding behind your girlfriend ain't gonna change it." Beast Boy 'eep'ed at Cyborg's last barb, his tears and "sorrow" vanishing into a wince as he returned his gaze to Raven, trying to surreptitiously gauge her mood. When he saw her, his wince only grew. Raven's attention, previously scattered, was now focused as a laser beam on their cybernetic compatriot. Her eyes glowed white as she snarled and power flared around her. Beast Boy hurriedly stood and Cyborg threw his hands up to shield himself... and lowered them. Nothing had happened. Then the blood drained from his face: from the garage, the sound of the T-Car's alarm could be heard. Fearing the worst, Cyborg sprinted from the room to the elevator. Beast Boy regarded the still steaming Raven with caution.

"Ummm... Raven? You didn't-"

"The car is fine," she said, her voice eerily calm. "I just jostled it a little. To frighten him appropriately." Beast Boy's caution evaporated and he laughed. He turned to the other Titans.

"Ha! Did you guys hear that? Raven that was... Rae?" She was gone. Shadow pooled on the floor of Raven's room and from it, Raven herself emerged. She sat on her bed and rubbed her temples. She needed help. She glanced at her mirror before deciding against visiting Nevermore: she had no experience with these feelings so she doubted her aspects could shed any new light. Instead she reached for her communicator and activated a command. Only a few seconds later, there was a knock at her door which she opened with a thought. Her friend crossed the threshold and the door was closed again.

"You summoned me, Raven?" asked Starfire. Some months ago, Starfire had hit on a great idea. In her opinion, anyway. As they were 'the BFFs' and 'sister-friends', the Tamaranean thought it apt that they had their own line of communication set aside. So they had programmed a function where they could page the other with only a few button presses. It had its uses, when they wanted to avoid the prying eyes of the boys or one needed the other to procure more feminine products. Star joyfully called it the 'babe signal'. Raven regretfully called it thus. Starfire waited patiently for Raven to explain herself.

"Summoned? That sounds so... formal. The reason I _called_ you is... is... Aarrgh, I don't even know where to begin!" she moaned, covering her face with her hands. Starfire hovered closer and sat beside her, laying a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Is it a bad reason? Are you in danger?" Starfire asked.

"No, nothing so serious. I'm not sure if it's good or bad, though..." Raven replied.

"Is it about something in particular?" Raven looked away but remained silent. "Or someone?" Starfire added. Raven met her gaze and nodded, a little apprehension in her eyes.

"It's... it's Beast Boy," Raven finally said. Already, she felt a weight lift from her heart, though there was still much to explain.

"Beast Boy? He has done something, perhaps?" Starfire asked. Raven shook her head and took a deep breath.

"It's nothing he's doing or has done. For once. It's me. Me and my... my thoughts. About Beast Boy," Raven said, clear as mud. Starfire, however, was perceptive enough to guess at Raven's meaning.

"You are having the thoughts about Beast Boy... Thoughts of romance? Of carnality?" Raven's still reasonably placid exterior twisted into a wide-eyed, blushing, stuttering girl.

"Whoa, Star! I just... I just like him! I haven't... I just like him, okay?" Raven said, feeling even better now she had said it all. Starfire nodded sagely.

"If I may ask, what form does this 'liking' take?" she asked.

"Come again?" Raven responded.

"Well, is it more akin to the way I and Robin like each other? Or... " Starfire blushed as she recalled but kept smiling. "Or is it more like the slightly embarrassing manner in which we behaved around Aqualad upon our first meeting?" Raven smirked despite herself, a little pink as she also remembered.

"Not like you and Robin. But not like Aqualad, either. Somewhere in-between, I guess," she answered.

"I see... then you find Beast Boy physically attractive?" Starfire asked. Raven rested her head in her hand, much as she had the previous night, looking depressed as she stared at the wall and sighed.

"... Yeah. Yeah, I do." Starfire grinned at Raven's answer.

"Very good! I have often wondered why more people do not see it," she said. Raven glanced at her curiously.

"You? You think he's... he's... he's..."

"The 'cute', yes? I have noticed it, Raven. Do not look at me so! Being in a monogamous relationship with Robin did not rob me of my sight," Starfire protested. Raven smiled approvingly. She knew Starfire had no intentions toward Beast Boy but was glad her perceived dependence on Robin was false. In fact, she suspected Starfire wore the metaphorical pants in their relationship. She shook herself: she was getting off-topic.

"Anyway, it isn't just that. Last night..." Raven told Starfire of her epiphany and her subsequent difficulties today. Starfire smiled at her.

"I believe I know the source of your troubles, Raven," Starfire said. Raven looked almost eager.

"You do?!" she whispered. Starfire nodded.

"Yes. As you say, you have begun to relax your emotional restrictions. Who can say how long the seed of this attraction has been within you? But only recently has it had a chance to blossom and grow. Until last night, your internal struggle was merely coming to terms with your feelings for Beast Boy. You have done that. And so your heart is troubled because you have to make a decision," Starfire explained. Raven inched closer.

"A decision?" she asked.

"Yes, Raven. You must decide what it is you will do _next,_" Starfire said. The realisation hit Raven like a tidal wave and she flopped back on her bed, staring blankly at her ceiling. Starfire smiled patiently.

"What next?" Raven repeated. "You mean... _pursue_ him?" she asked.

"Or do not. That is the choice with which you are faced," Starfire said, quietly.

"What if I do? I don't know what I would do or say..." Raven muttered.

"I will help you," Starfire said, simply.

"What if I can't? Or what it he isn't interested?" Raven whispered. Starfire's smile remained but her eyes became a little sad and she gently clutched Raven's hand.

"I will help you," she said again. Raven's eyes turned from her ceiling to regard Starfire, gratefully. Smilling slightly, Raven squeezed her closest friend's hand.

"Thank you, Star. If you don't mind, I think I need a little time to think," Raven said. Starfire nodded and stood, heading for the door.

"Of course, Raven. If you have further need of me, light up the babe-signal!" she sang. Raven groaned through her smile.

"Ugh... I will." Starfire left, leaving Raven alone with her thoughts and her ceiling.

"What next?" she muttered aloud. "What _now_?!"

**The next installment. Raven had a better idea of her options but is yet to decide. But seeing as this is a BBRae story, her choice is fairly predictable, right? Right? I mean, I never twist things around or anything... **

**Tee hee!**

**Let me know how I did!**

**-Jack**


	3. Mumbo Jumble

**Sable Heart 3 - Mumbo Jumble**

**Raven has a decision to make! What will she do?**

Raven had thought and pondered for a long while about her options regarding Beast Boy. The risk seemed great. But the reward...

Starfire sat in her own room, brushing her hair and humming a tamaranean ditty. She froze when she heard a knock at the door. Upon opening it, Starfire grinned at her friend, waiting patiently for them to speak.

"So... if, in theory, I decided to pursue a relationship with Beast Boy... how would I do it?" asked Raven. Starfire's grin widened and she dragged the sorceress inside, sealing the door. She lifted Raven off her feet and seated her on her bed, eliciting rolled eyes and a slight pout from Raven. Starfire ignored them and pulled up a chair, sitting in front of Raven.

"I believe the primary objective would be to change Beast Boy's perception of you. Make him see you as a potential partner," Starfire suggested. At Raven's blank look, Starfire continued. "We must make him see you as a woman, Raven." Raven's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You're not suggesting I parade around in short skirts and vest tops are you? Because there is no way-" Raven began.

"No, Raven," Starfire interrupted. "I mean that, right now, he knows you as a friend and comrade. We must open his mind to another, more romantic possibility. Also, if I may be honest, your uniform is sufficiently alluring, Raven." Raven blushed a little: she saw Starfire's point but had only recently started coming to terms with such things.

"So what, then?" Raven asked.

"I... I am not sure," Starfire admitted. "But a sensible first step would be to get closer to him, yes? To learn more about him, take interest in his interests. Let him know you wish to know him and allow him to know you. He may see something in you he has not seen before." As Starfire finished, Raven nodded. It sounded easy and at the same time, insurmountable. Suddenly, the alarm blared and Robin's voice was in every room.

"Titans, we've got trouble! Meet me in the common room." Raven and Starfire made their way but Starfire had one last piece of advice for Raven.

"I know they are new to you, Raven but remember to let your feelings guide your actions. Do not think three times before doing or saying anything. Beast Boy will notice the change and perhaps more." Raven opened her mouth to respond but they were already floating through the common room doors. Robin stood tapping at keys looking perplexed while the other two boys stood watching.

"What's going on?" Raven asked. Without turning, Robin addressed them.

"It's Mumbo. But he isn't the one causing the trouble. An unidentified assailant is attacking him and, by all accounts, has the upper hand. It feels a little strange to rush to Mumbo's rescue but I don't like not knowing the full story. Titans, go!" Immediately, the Titans moved. Raven, Starfire and Raven flew while Robin and Cyborg headed over in the T-Car. Raven resisted the urge to glance at the green avian beside her and was almost glad when they arrived on the scene. A shadowy blur was weaving between Mumbo's spells which grew more frantic and desperate. Starfire blinked as she watched until she realised there was nothing wrong with her eyes, the mystery attacker actually looked _blurry_. They moved in formation, landing as Mumbo was thrown to the ground. The villain saw them and almost wept in relief. Raven recoiled at the sheer terror in the normally jovial villain's features.

"HELP ME!" he shrieked. The blur stopped and looked at the newcomers. At least they thought it did - there were no visible eyes or any facial features. Something about it set Raven on edge and she found herself unable to look away. The other two Titans present, used to Raven taking charge in such situations, glanced at her uneasily. Beast Boy decided to take the lead.

"Star, you go after Mumbo and get him out of here - I don't think the shadow guy can fly. I'll distract him if I can. Rae, you do support, whoever needs help." Raven shook herself and nodded at the changeling. He reminded himself to be astonished later. "Okay, go!" he barked, morphing into an elephant in mid-stride. He didn't hold out much hope of hitting such a fast-moving opponent but hoped such a large animal would prove an equally large diversion. No such luck. The blur ran straight for Starfire, wrapping its curiously flexible limbs around her, spinning around and around until it released her, sending her tumbling through the air, too disoriented to right herself. Beast Boy quickly morphed into a leopard and ran full tilt at the blur, lashing out with his claws and trying to put himself between Mumbo and his enemy. The blur contorted and twisted around each attack. Seeing this, Raven stretched her hand toward the blur and muttered...

"Azarath, metrion, zinthos!" Her eyes flared white and her hand was surround by obsidian power. Nothing else happened. The blur was untouched and Raven found herself doubly unsettled by the creature. At this point Cyborg and Robin arrived, hurling sonic blasts and birdarangs at the creature. It ducked and twisted out of the way, striking Beast Boy in the head as he tried to grab it and flipped back toward Mumbo. Its limbs wrapped around the horrified magician until all they could make out was his mouth and one staring eye.

"_HELP MEEEEEEE!_" he screamed. Then they were gone. The Titans cautiously moved in, Robin checking on Beast Boy: he was fine if a little rattled. There was no trace of Mumbo or his attacker. Robin, Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy all examined the spot with their various expertise and abilities. Nothing. They had been there and now they weren't. Unsure of what else to do, Robin ordered the team home. After their disturbing encounter with Mumbo and his mysterious kidnapper, they elected to ride together in the T-Car. On the way, Raven noticed Beast Boy wincing a little and trying to hold his head still as the car moved.

"Beast Boy?" He turned and grinned at her when she spoke - he sat in-between Raven and Starfire with the alien princess on his left.

"What's up, Rae?" he asked. She ignored the nickname for the moment.

"Are you alright? You looked like you might be hurting," Raven said, quietly enough that Robin and Cyborg, immersed in their own conversation in front, wouldn't overhear.

"Nah, I'm fine. Head's a little achy after taking a knock from that fuzzy dude but no biggie," he responded, not quite as quietly. Starfire was listening and tried to look like she wasn't paying attention, staring out the window.

"I can try and relieve the pain if you'd like," Raven offered. The green teen shook his head, wincing again as he rattled his already sensitive cranium.

"That's okay, Rae," he said and then grinned as he continued. "You keep this up and people might get the crazy idea you worry about me. Consider your rep, Rae!" he laughed. His laughter stopped short when he felt a cool, soothing energy bathe his scalp. He turned and saw Raven had extended her healing hands toward his head, melting away the dull ache. When she finished, she nervously brushed his hair with her hand.

"Beast Boy... I _do_ worry," she whispered. Reality struck after that and she quickly withdrew her hand. Starfire, no longer feigning indifference, smiled approvingly at Raven, who concealed her blush with her hood. Beast Boy barked out a nervous laugh and found his smile, still staring at Raven.

"Th-thanks, Raven," he mumbled and returned his gaze forward. A few minutes later, Robin turned to speak to the three rear passengers.

"You guys hungry? After today I think a little comfort food is in order and Pizza Corner is just around... well, the corner," he waited for them to answer, receiving a joyous affirmative, a loud 'yeah' and a stoic nod. A few minutes later, they were outside their favourite pizzeria and walking in. As they walked, Starfire grabbed Raven's arm and motioned for her to wait with her. Once the three boys were inside, she spoke.

"I must tell you, Raven, that I was very impressed by your display of openness toward Beast Boy. I believe it made a significant impact on him as well!" she enthused. Raven sighed.

"I just healed him, Star, nothing major," she said.

"Not that, Raven! However deserved it is is debatable but your reputation for finding Beast Boy the irritant is widespread. Your proclamation of worry meant much to him. I saw it in his face. Heard it in his voice! It is as I said: let your feelings guide you." Starfire smiled benevolently when she finished, her smile undiminished by Raven's slightly embarrassed scowl.

"Well... thank, I guess. I don't know that anything will come of it... Anyway, let's go eat. I'm starving," Raven said, obviously ready to change the subject. Still, Starfire's words bounced around in her head. She began to wonder if there was a chance after all. When they reached the table, only Robin and Cyborg were there. Beast Boy had been elected to place their usual order, with strict instructions and threats from Cyborg to get everything right. The four heroes made small talk as they waited until Beast Boy sat back down, looking rather more smug than usual.

"What's up, B? You look even more pleased with yourself than usual," Cyborg joked.

"Oh, nothin' much," Beast Boy replied. "Just this..." he said, dropping a scrap of paper on the table. Cyborg picked it up.

"A phone number?" he asked. Beast Boy nodded.

"Yup. More to the point, the phone number of the girl behind the register," he said. Cyborg's eye goggled.

"What? You mean... Terri? The redhead?!" Cyborg asked incredulously. Beast Boy nodded, folding his hands behind his head.

"Yup! She saw our fight on the staff room TV back there, said she wants to reward my bravery. This Saturday night," Beast Boy elaborated, waggling his eyebrows. Cyborg returned the precious paper. Raven looked at him dispassionately if with wider eyes than usual.

"You... you have a date?" she asked, barely above a whisper. Beast nodded again, even more energetically.

"Yup. Chicks dig the Beast Man!" he cheered. Raven looked down at her hands, nervously grasping each other on the table before her, only able to respond with a single word:

"Oh..."

**First, apologies for the cliffy. Not normally my thing but I like trying new stuff sometimes. So it seems that Raven has had the metaphorical rug swept from beneath her feet. What can happen next?! Find out soon! Let me know how this one grabs you ^_^**

**-Jack**


	4. Straws and Camels

**Sable Heart 4 - Straws and Camels**

**Well, Raven got a pretty bad shock in the last chapter. Let us see how things progress from here now that Beast Boy is apparently spoken for.**

Starfire ate her pizza slowly. She tried to maintain an outwardly enthusiastic appearance but her pity for Raven consumed her. She couldn't help glancing at her, trying to gauge her reaction but the other girl had pulled her hood up over her head and ate her own food without speaking. Beast Boy, Cyborg and Robin were talking about the date or rather, Robin and Cyborg were wheedling for more information from Beast Boy. And trying to make him nervous. And succeeding. Robin suddenly turned to Starfire and she was forced to wear her usual smile and ignore Raven's pain.

Raven barely tasted her pizza. Part of her knew it was absurd: they hadn't been dating or involved in any way beyond friendship. So why was she hurting so much? A voice echoed in her mind, though she didn't know which of her aspects spoke.

"You kindled hope, Raven. And it has now been extinguished. That would hurt anyone," the voice said. Raven pulled her hood down over her eyes, desperate for the others to finish so they could go home. Soon enough, the pizza was gone and the bill paid, the teens standing to leave. Beast Boy was suddenly afraid.

"Umm... should I say something before I go?" he asked the others. Cyborg grinned.

"Oh yeah! You should stand in the table and shout out everything you love about your Terri," he suggested mockingly. Beast Boy glared at him with red cheeks. Robin put an arm around him.

"No, BB. You should just walk up there, flex for a bit and leave without saying a word," he suggested. Beast Boy groaned and the two boys continued to suggest ways he could embarrass himself. A quiet voice cut through the nonsense.

"Just wave, Beast Boy," Raven said, not quite believing she had spoken. The green boy smiled gratefully and she turned away. He waved at Terri, who waved back cheerfully and the Titans made for home. Once there, Raven made her excuses and headed straight for her room. Not long after, though longer than Raven expected, there was a knock at her door. She opened it without speaking and Starfire floated inside. Raven didn't look at her for a long time but when Starfire herself remained silent, eventually she pushed her hood back and looked at the alien girl. She still hovered, smiling sadly.

"I said I would help you," she said, presenting two tubs of ice cream. Despite herself, Raven smirked. The pair sat on Raven's bed for hours, eating ice cream and talking about anything but boys. Their chat was brought to an end in the evening when the alarm rang. It wasn't a call to action but a call from Jump City's Chief of Police. When Raven and Starfire arrived in the common room, the other three Titans were already there, listening to the Chief. Raven was unable to restrain herself and glanced at Beast Boy before she tuned in herself. By now, Robin was answering.

"We'll be there in two minutes, Chief. Titans, G-"

"Wait!" the Chief cried. "It's too late. She's already gone, Robin. Mother May-Eye fought her attacker but in the end she was restrained and taken, much the same way as you described the attack on Mumbo Jumbo. Robin exhaled, letting go of his tension. Two of their enemies taken in a day? This wasn't right. He felt he was missing something... his eyes widened and, for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder at Raven.

"Chief, I have to go. If I learn anything else, I'll be in touch. Robin out," he said, not even waiting for a reply. He set his jaw and began tapping away at the keys. Soon, another image appeared on the screen. Robin tensed. They had made their peace with each other but there was always an initial discomfort when they spoke. "Batman," he said.

"Robin. What can the League do for you?" asked the Dark Knight, the watchtower visible in the background. Once again, Robin glanced at Raven. She suddenly felt vulnerable.

"Has the League noticed any unusual disappearances... of magic users?" Robin asked. Batman's eyes narrowed and he waited a long moment before responding.

"...Yes. You've learned something?" he said. Robin nodded.

"We witnessed one of the disappearances. A kidnapping, really. We've had another kidnapping as well," Robin stated. Batman's face remained still.

"We'll talk about it here. Prepare for transport," Batman said.

"Wait a minute, tell me what you kn-" Robin began.

"I wasn't asking," Batman interrupted. Several seconds passed while Robin stared down Batman.

"If you're wondering why we're still here and not up there, I had Cyborg design a jammer that blocks unauthorised teleporters," Robin said, trying desperately not to gloat. He didn't smile but Batman's scowl... lightened somehow - he _approved_! Robin smiled at him, signaling Cyborg to authorise the Watchtower's teleporters. "We're ready."

The Titans looked around them and tried not to look like tourists - the Watchtower was breathtaking! Batman was already marching toward them. He signaled for them to follow him.

"I've arranged a meeting. Perhaps we can assist each other," he said before marching off again. The Titans followed, meekly. Beast Boy darted to Raven's side.

"Rae, check it out!" he whispered, pointing to their right. Sat at a table in what appeared to be the Watchtower's equivalent of a canteen were the Flash and the Martian Manhunter. Beast Boy tried very hard not to squeal. Raven rolled her eyes but felt a swell of joy that he chose her to talk to. Then the reminder of his date with another girl quashed it. With a sigh, Raven kept walking. Not long after, they arrived at a conference room. Already inside were Superman, Wonder Woman and Zatanna Zatara. Batman gestured for the Titans to be seated and the Justice Leaguers did the same. After being prompted, Robin described the attack on Mumbo Jumbo. During the explanation, Raven felt Zatanna's eyes on her more than once. When Robin had finished, Zatanna began to speak.

"I was afraid something was wrong: for a week now, I've been unable to contact a few magic users I know - Madame Xanadu, the Enchantress, some others you don't know. It's starting to look like we're begin targeted. And according to Robin's report, this creature is immune to magic to boot. That rules out a unified front... a magical assault would do no good and just gather us all together for its convenience," Zatanna said. Batman took over.

"We need to protect our mystical members, especially Zatanna, Raven and Doctor Fate: this attacker, whatever it is, can't be allowed to capture the most powerful mystics on the planet," he said. Beast Boy gaped as he stared at Raven - he knew she was powerful but being compared with Zatanna or Fate was a whole other level. "I propose we team up. We can organise teams for patrols and investigations and make sure no magic user is left alone. Is that acceptable?" Batman asked. Robin's eyes widened at the gesture before he answered.

"Umm... yeah. Yes. We'll work out a shift pattern so Raven always has one of us with her. The rest of the team will be left available for one of these teams." Batman nodded. He and Robin worked out the details and Raven lost track of the conversation. She stared down at her hands. She was being hunted. _Again_. She squeezed her hands into fists. She felt so _helpless_. Soon they were finished and ready to return home. The Titans stood and started shaking hands with the Leaguers, Beast Boy giving in to his urge to squeal. When it was Raven's turn to shake Zatanna's hand, however, the older magician recoiled from her. Raven sighed at the rebuttal - a perfect end to a perfect day. She jumped when a hand clapped on her shoulder, turning to see a green and rather upset face at her shoulder.

"Hey! You got something against Raven?" he asked, loudly. The room fell silent. For her part, Zatanna looked apologetic.

"I'm sorry... but I'm a Lord of Order. Trigon is a Lord of Chaos and... I can sense Raven's connection to him, even though she's technically a Lord of Order herself. It's like... it's like someone just offered me their hand but they were holding something I was allergic to. I'm sorry, Raven," Zatanna explained. Raven nodded but didn't speak. Beast Boy had lost his good mood for now and the team marched silently to the teleporters. As they waited for transport, Zatanna gritted her teeth, reached out and shook Raven's hand, smiling through her discomfort. Raven smiled then, genuinely touched.

"Thanks you, Zatanna," she said. Zatanna nodded.

"Stay safe, Raven," she said firmly. In a flash of light, the Titans were back at the Tower, Cyborg wondering aloud when he'd get his hands on the teleporter technology. It was already near enough bed time, so Robin set himself the first watch over Raven, though she resisted the idea for some time. As Robin moved a chair to the corridor outside Raven's door, Raven herself was caught up in a Tamaranean embrace. When she was released, she saw the tension in Starfire's eyes.

"Do not fear, Raven. Robin is the bravest individual I have ever met. He will keep you safe." Robin flushed at the unlooked-for praise but resolved again to protect Raven, fortified by Starifire's faith in him. Cyborg and Beast Boy stood nearby, looking unsure of what to do or say. Cyborg pulled Raven into a one-armed hug and wished her sweet dreams. That left Beast Boy, still tongue-tied.

"Well... g'night, Rae!" he tried. But didn't leave. He suddenly stepped closer, grabbing her shoulders.

"Beast Boy? What are y-"

"Raven. Promise me you'll call for help. Promise me you won't do your 'I don't need help' thing. _Promise me_!" he whispered. Raven stared, dumbly, nodding after a moment. Seemingly satisfied, Beast Boy wished her goodnight again and left. Raven retired herself, all too aware of the alert presence outside her door. At 4 am, Starfire replaced Robin, who went to catch as much sleep as he could. Her friends stuck with her all day but, when it was Beast Boy's watch, Raven meditated for much of the time, still not wanting to speak with him too much, lest he start bragging about his date the following night. When Saturday did finally come around, Beast Boy was doubtful, wondering if he should cancel and stay at the Tower. Cyborg and Robin insisted he was fine to go, still offering their 'advice'. Raven entered the common room, followed by Starfire, to see Beast Boy, his hair combed into a centre parting, wearing a black shirt, blazer, dark blue jeans and... a red bow tie. He was sweating now but forced a smile when he saw Raven. She shook her hear, seeing that some of Robin's and Cyborg's help had unfortunately been taken to heart. She considered for a moment - if he went out like this, it could only hurt his chances with Terri, especially if she thought it was a joke at her expense. That might give Raven a chance... she strode forward, mussed Beast Boy's hair and hastily removed the tie, undoing the top button of his shirt at the same time.

"Much better," she said to herself. She sat on the couch, wondering why she was helping him find someone other than herself. He mumbled a strangled 'thank you' and vanished through the door. The rest of her night was uneventful, though she struggled to find sleep later on. She sensed Beast Boy when he returned home, full of excitement and bouncing joy. His date had gone well. She clenched her eyes shut, desperate to forget the waking world for a time.

Sunday was awful.

When Raven woke up, she heard that Felix Faust, another magical villain, had been taken. Her dreams had not been restful and she felt the weight of everyone's worry pressing down on her, not helped by her own stress. She burnt her toast at breakfast time, failed the training course in the afternoon and couldn't calm down enough to meditate in the early evening. To make things worse, Beast Boy was on watch and, predictably, chattered about Terri. After listening to him yammer on about her hair, eyes, smile and sense of humour for a good three hours, Raven reached her lowest ebb and was reduced to begging.

"Please, Beast Boy... we can talk about anything else but I can't hear about that right now," she pleaded. He looked at her strangely.

"What? I don't get it, Rae, I thought you were happy for me - you even _helped_ me!" he exclaimed. She nodded but still begged.

"Of course I'm happy that you're happy but... please, I can't talk about her- THIS! I can't talk about this anymore," Raven answered. Beast Boy's face was angry - he had caught the slip.

"You have a problem with Terri? Geez, Rae... you don't even know her! If you spent some time with her, you'd see how great she is," he muttered. That idea was absoloutely _not_ what Raven wanted to hear and she whimpered and shrank away from Beast Boy. That only upset him more. Raven begged again.

"Beast Boy, please... I can't... I'm almost... talk about something else. _Anything_ else!" It was too much. She could almost feel the pressure wearing away at her control, which now hung by a tenuous thread. Beast Boy, however was undeterred. Raven stood and began to walk away, seeking the sanctuary of her room. Beast Boy followed, blocking her passage to the common room door.

"No running, Rae. Tell me the problem. Tell me what the problem is with Terri being my girlfriend!" he demanded. He wasn't sure he could really call her his girlfriend yet but the word served well enough. Raven's face crumpled as her control slipped, a single, anxious tear leaking from frantic eyes. If he asked her again...

"_Please_, Beast Boy..." she whispered.

"What's wrong with Terri being my girlfriend?!" he repeated.

"I wanted it to be _me_!" she wailed.

The following silence was stifling. They stood, staring at each other, one astonished and the other mortified. WIthout waiting for him to speak again, Raven turned and fled to her room. Beast Boy stared ahead blankly, eventually murmuring his thoughts.

"Oh, shit."

**Dun dun duuunnnnnnnnnnnn! Hardly the most eloquent confession ever. What will Raven do now? What will Beast Boy do? Who is behind the vanishing mystics? We'll see, eventually. Tell me how I did - read and review!**

**-Jack**


	5. It Happens

**Sable Heart 5 - It Happens**

**Well, Beast Boy put his foot in it last time. He'll have to work hard to salvage his friendship with Raven.**

"Oh, shit."

Beast Boy's curse seemed to echo in the empty common room as he stared after Raven. He tried to think of what to do next, he really did. But his brain seemed to have stalled - coherent thought was out of the question and he mentally repeated his exclamation: _oh shit!_ After some time (he had no inkling how much time), some logic began to find its way back into his head. Whatever their personal issues, Raven needed protection. And that was him. Swallowing, he marched uncertainly toward Raven's room. When he arrived he took several, shaky breaths before knocking. There was no immediate answer, so he spoke first.

"Rae? Raven? I know you're in there, okay? I guess you don't wanna see me right now... but Rob and Star are investigating with the League and Cy's on charge til morning. Which means we're stuck together for now. Rae. Rae? C'mon, Rae, just say something - _anything!_ - just let me know you're okay in there. Whatever else is going on, we were friends when I woke up this morning and I wanna be friends when I go to sle-" the door opened and an irate voice hissed.

"Would you _please_... stop talking, Beast Boy," Raven 'suggested'. He immediately went silent. Raven's scowl melted into a defeated look and she sighed. She turned away from the door, leaving it open, and beckoned the green boy inside. He swallowed again and cautiously entered her room. Once inside, it took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the gloom Raven felt comfortable in. When he could finally see her properly, his heart sank. She sat on her bed, a poor imitation of her usual neutral expression on her face, ruined by her eyes, aimed disconsolately at the floor... and her mouth was turned down a little at the sides... and trembling. Immediately he felt guilty. Considering the pressure she must already have been feeling, it was heartless of him to add to it. He tried to find his voice.

"Raven... Raven, I-" he started.

"Don't say you're sorry. Don't even _feel _sorry. I couldn't take that right now..." Raven mumbled. He stood silent for a long moment. She had invited him in but apparently didn't want to talk. He was at a loss.

"Do you... want to talk?" he tried.

"No," she answered.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked. "I can wait outside now I know you're here."

"... No." Raven's answer confused him even more. As usual, he decided he would ignore Raven and do what he thought she needed. Not wanted. In a moment of immense courage, he pulled up her office chair and sat near her.

"You... like me?" he dared. She turned her face away but nodded her head in the affirmative.

"...Yeah," she whispered.

"Oh man... I think the pressure must be getting to you, Rae! You _like_ me?!" he asked again. Bizarrely, putting himself down was exactly the right thing to do. Raven faced him, her smirk there beneath her sad eyes.

"Would it upset you if I said I shared your disbelief?" she asked. Beast Boy smiled and laughed a little. "But I... felt like this already. When this all started." Beast Boy's smile melted into amazement.

"Wow," he breathed. Raven nodded and again stared at the floor.

"Yup. Wow." Beast Boy stared at her and she felt her cheeks blush.

"Rae, I-I don't know what to do!" he confessed. Raven's smirk vanished.

"Neither do I, Beast Boy. And you have Terri right now, I can't ask anything of you. I shouldn't have said anything," Raven replied. Beast Boy growled in frustration.

"What... how? How are we gonna, like... act?" he blurted. Raven squeezed her eyes shut.

"Can we act like before? Before I said anything? Just... be my friend," Raven said. Beast Boy looked into her eyes with a heartbroken expression.

"But... what about you, Rae? Won't that hurt? I don't wanna hurt you," he whimpered. Raven could feel his anguish. She sighed.

"What we want is irrelevant. You can't avoid hurting me, Beast Boy... can you tell me that you like me back?" she asked. A sliver of desperate hope fought its way through and she tried to stamp it out. He remained guiltily silent. The sliver burned and vanished. "As I thought," she said.

"Do you... do you want me to keep my distance for a while?" he asked, reluctantly. Her stomach twisted at the question.

"No, Beast Boy. Perhaps some time apart might help in the future but now... I need every friend I have," she confessed. Beast Boy squinted at her - he had caught a tremor in her voice.

"Rae?" he said, forgetting all else in his concern for her and laying a hand on her arm.

"I'm... I'm _scared_, Beast Boy." Her admission frightened him even more. When he stood and sat on the bed beside her, she amazed him again by grabbing him in a desperate, almost uncomfortable embrace. He mumbled what he thought might be calming sounds in her ear, hearing her uneven breath and sniffling in his own. His sorrow swelled - for Raven, this counted as a massive display of her fear and misery. He wisely decided against telling her there was nothing to fear - she knew better.

"I'm scared too, Rae. I'm scared too. But there's one thing you don't need to be scared of," he assured her. She stopped sniffling for a moment, waiting for him to finish. "Whatever else happens, I'm your friend first. If I can help protect you, I will. We all will." Once again, she quietly wept, this time with relief. She hadn't lost him. Soon, she felt her balance return and a shade of embarrassment stole over her. She withdrew from the embrace, realising from her sore arms just how tightly she had held on.

"I'm sorry about that, Beast Boy. But thank you," Raven whispered, resisting the urge to turn away. Beast Boy grinned.

"No need, Rae. I'm glad I could help. Not really a surprise, though. If someone as smart as you likes me, I must be pretty awesome!" Raven jerked back at the joke, though she actually appreciated the levity - it wouldn't do to let it weigh her down. If he could speak of it casually then so could she. She smirked and then glared at him. A wave of black power easily moved him forward, off her bed and leaving him to land on his butt. He stood, rubbing the painful area. Raven allowed herself to look as he did, smirking again. He caught her stare and laughed nervously. He knew she was doing it deliberately to mess with him, perhaps to get back for all those times he had wiggled his eyebrows at her. All the same, he leaned back as she stood and approached. She spoke softly.

"I do like you, Beast Boy," she said. Then her gaze became harder and more amused. When next she spoke, she poked his chest with a pointed finger on every word. "But that doesn't mean you should stop being afraid of me..." For emphasis, she let her eyes glow red and smirked again. Beast Boy decided the joke was on him and that now was the time to quit.

"Ooooookay! Well! I'll just be here, outside your door. With the door closed. And maybe locked. From the outside. Later Rae!" He darted through the still open door and it closed behind him. He didn't lock it. Raven allowed herself a tiny chuckle before smiling sadly and heading back to her bed. She wasn't sure what time it was but felt ready for some sleep regardless. However, her mortifying-but-cathartic chat with Beast Boy had let her vent her emotions to the point where she felt she could meditate. Dutifully, she assumed the position and levitated above her floor.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos..."

Hours later, she touched down and stood, stretching her limbs. A small but peaceful smile graced her lips, a sign that her meditation had been helpful. With her control firmly reestablished, she examined the events of the day. Beast Boy knew how she felt. And he didn't reciprocate. That hurt. It hurt more than she had expected. She sighed as she resumed her seat on her bed. Bizarrely, his attitude and behaviour during all that exposition had not dampened her interest, only enhanced it.

"The heart wants what the heart wants," she muttered to herself. "Even if it wants a green idiot." The hurt in her chest seemed to shift as that thought took shape. Yawning suddenly, Raven decided that sleep seemed to be a wise course of action. Or inaction, as it were. As she kicked off her boots and discarded her cloak, she reached out with her empathic senses. Despite things not going as she would have liked with him, she was gladdened to sense Beast Boy, still awake outside her room. She sensed Cyborg still in his room and still asleep. Robin and Starfire had yet to return. As she made to get into her bed, something in Beast Boy's emotions caught her attention - he was restless. That made sense, he had been there all night. She quickly checked her clock and was surprised to see it was only nine o'clock, however. Apparently, expressing emotions was harder work than she realised. She returned her attention to Beast Boy: there was something beneath his restlessness... _anxiety_. She hoped it wasn't about her, she felt bad enough as it was. She padded silently across her carpet and pressed her ear against the door. She heard him sigh loudly, followed by the click and tip-tap of the Titan communicators. Who on earth could he be calling? There was a ringing - he was connecting to the phone networks, not one of the other Titans. There was a click as someone answered. Raven couldn't hear the other end, he had it set on privacy mode... but her stomach lurched when he replied.

"Hey, Terri," he said, curiously apprehensive. Unable to move away, Raven listened in guiltily.

"Yeah, I had a good time. No, that's okay. Yeah, I know. Listen, Terri, I-... What? Oh, sorry." More tapping. "Is that better? Cool. Anyway, Terri, I gotta say something. I know we made plans for next week but... I need a rain check. No, nothing like that it's... it's a Titan thing, y'know? I can't say too much but... a friend of mine is in trouble and I need to be here for her - _THEM!_" He sighed at his slip. "Yes, the friend is a girl, so what? No, not Starfire. Yeah. Yeah, it's Raven. Excuse me? Yeah, I know but if I was out having fun and she was in danger, that would be... it would be wrong, Terri. I don't know how long it would take. It isn't an excuse, Terri! She's my friend and in trouble okay? She needs us. _All_ of us."

Raven held her breath as she listened, almost flinching away when Beast Boy's aura suddenly became cold and angry.

"Don't say that. _That!_ You know what I mean. I get that you're pissed but it isn't her fault, she didn't ask me for this, I... Okay, you know what? I'm usually a pretty tolerant guy bu - _Be. Quiet. Terri_." He had growled those last words and Raven felt his anger spike. "I'm a tolerant guy but if there's one thing I won't stand for, it's people bad-mouthing my friends. No, I don't care if you do. Well, I'm glad that you're sorry but that's it. I think you should forget my number, Terri. In fact... " More tapping. "Y'know my buddy Cy is real smart. He added an app to the communicators which lets me erase my contact details from _someone else's_ phone. And your phone won't even let you dial the number if you have it written down or whatever. Goodbye, Terri. I know... I'm sorry too. Bye..."

Click.

Raven finally dared to breathe as Beast Boy let out a long, weary sigh. She still pressed her ear against the wall, trying to hear him. He spoke again, quietly and miserably.

"Ah, shit," he muttered. Sensing there would be no more, Raven crept back to her bed and curled up beneath her sheets. But sleep was evasive. Her mind was alight with Beast Boy and Terri's conversation. She knew, objectively, that it made sense for him to choose a close friend over a girl he had gone on one date with. It made perfect, logical sense. But as slept finally claimed her, the thought, the hope that wouldn't go away was repeated again:

'He chose _me_...'

**Poor Raven, she's having a right rollercoaster of a time! And poor Beast Boy - arguments like that don't usually pop up so soon. But Terri pushed the wrong changeling! What will happen next? Can Raven be protected indefinitely? Will the Titans and the League stop the magic-proof mystery malefactor? Does Raven have a shot with Beast Boy? You will find out... in time. Let me know how I did!**

**-Jack**

**P.S. After writing, I realised I basically nicked a bit of dialogue from one of the almighty Ceshira's artworks so, for that, I admit my wrongdoing - it wasn't intentional. Don't be mad! Please?**


	6. Confusion And Collusion

**Sable Heart 6 - Confusion And Collusion**

**Okay then! Everything is out in the open now between Raven and Beast Boy and, thanks to some unwise words on her part, Beast Boy is no longer interested in seeing Terri again. **

Beast Boy was spent. It was the early morning and he'd spent the entire night on guard outside Raven's bedroom. He didn't complain. This was important. That doesn't mean he wasn't extremely glad to see Cyborg walking toward him, waving his hand in greeting.

"Morning, B," he said, jovially but quietly. Beast Boy grinned wearily.

"Morning, Cy. I am totally ready for you to take over," he admitted. Cyborg grinned back.

"Sure, buddy. Just let me grab a bite and I'll be right back. You want anything?" he asked.

"Just some cereal or something, then I'm gonna crash," Beast Boy answered. Nodding, Cyborg continued toward the common room. After a few minutes of blinking blearily at the wall, Beast Boy saw Cyborg returning, a bowl in each hand. He offered one to Beast Boy who took it gladly but stopped and glared suspiciously at his friend.

"It's soy milk, I swear!" Cyborg chuckled. The two then ate with abandon. Once the bowls were empty, Beast Boy stood and started to head for his room. Cyborg raised an eyebrow when he turned and walked back to him.

"Hey... when Rae wakes up, make her something nice for breakfast, okay?" he whispered.

"What are you talking about, B? Everything I make is nice," Cyborg insisted. Beast Boy sighed.

"Whatever, dude. Just make her waffles or something. Something she really likes." Cyborg wore his own suspicious expression now.

"Why? What happened? She okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's okay just... it was a rough night, I think." Beast Boy answered. Cyborg stared, not satisfied. "Okay... I think this whole situation is stressing her out or something. Imagine if you were maybe being hunted by someone. Someone who was immune to your powers, too. I know I'd be freaking out!" He tactfully left out the fact that Raven had, in fact, freaked out a little herself. But that would reveal more than he was comfortable with. Cyborg seemed to have accepted his explanation anyway.

"Okay, I'll make her something nice. You get some sleep, man." Beast Boy turned and ambled off again, pausing when Cyborg spoke again. "I've never seen you worry about her like this before, B," he said, leaving the question unsaid.

"I've never _been_ this worried about her before, " he replied, finally heading to his room, flopping down on the mattress and falling asleep almost instantly. His dreams were of the team in happier times. He laughed and played with Cyborg as the team moved around them in the park, though in his dream the trees carried on into the distance, the city itself being nowhere in sight. He ate his tofu dogs and offered one to a smiling Raven. She thanked him politely and consumed it with relish, laughing with Beast Boy as he offered her a napkin to wipe the aftermath from her face. They all played volleyball, Raven taking her role as referee a little too seriously, having brought a whistle and the black and white striped cloak he and Cyborg had made for her during their Stankball phase. As the sky began to dim, they all sat around a campfire that had appeared from nowhere, laughing, joking and telling embarrassing anecdotes about each other or the other Titans. Raven held her head in her hands as Beast Boy regaled the others with the tale of their first date, to which Beast Boy had insisted on wearing a tuxedo, even though it was just an afternoon movie. Still smiling, she held his hand and gazed into his eyes. He had never felt such contentment. Then, all of a sudden, he saw his hand was empty. He turned and saw Raven being dragged into a swirling shadow. Her mouth was open but her screams were silent. He turned to tell the others but they carried on as if nothing was wrong, not noticing as he waved his arms in front of them. He ran after Raven himself, grabbing her hand and trying to pull her free. He was dragged with her toward the darkness. He tried to shout but his own voice was similarly absent. He tried and tried to no avail. As only her face and the arm he held were still free, he looked into her bulging, terrified eyes and finally found his voice.

"I'll find you!" he yelled. And then she was gone. Panicking, Beast Boy stared around him, eventually seeing he was in his bedroom. His breath was ragged and he was sweating. The dream left him rattled: he rarely remembered much about his dreams but this one remained vivid in his mind. Forcing himself to relax he lay back down only to rise again a few minutes later. He had decided sleep wasn't going to come again any time soon. He stepped into his room and quickly washed up before finding a clean(ish) uniform and heading to the common room. He checked his communicator - it was 1pm and he was suddenly aware of his own hunger. When he walked in he received casual greetings from Robin and Starfire, which he returned, and a boisterous welcome from Cyborg, followed by a not entirely subtle wink, indicating he believed he had followed Beast Boy's recommendation regarding Raven's breakfast. Raven herself didn't move but her eyes followed him as he walked to the kitchen. As he was making himself a sandwich, Raven appeared, leaning against the counter. Momentarily startled, Beast Boy stared. Raven flushed under his scrutiny, a remnant of last night's embarrassing exposition. She steeled herself and spoke.

"Are you okay, Beast Boy? I felt your emotional distress earlier," Raven said. For another silent moment, Beast Boy was amazed at the girl before him. She was stressed, mortified, exhausted and afraid - and was looking at him with concern in those eyes of hers. Making sure _he_ was okay. He shook his head to clear his mind and communicate to Raven she needn't worry.

"Just a bad dream. Staying up all night messed with my head, I guess," he eventually responded. Raven nodded but appeared to remain skeptical. Beast Boy, already eating, walked back toward the others with Raven at his side. She glanced at him a few more times but apparently thought better of whatever she had in mind. Shaking her head for a moment, she declared she planned to meditate on the roof and turned to leave. Without a word, Starfire lofted into the air and followed her. Beast Boy watched the pair of them, still rattled by his dream. Cyborg had been watching him since he walked in and thus immediately noticed the slightly odd behaviour.

"Yo, BB! What's up little man?" he asked. Beast Boy looked at him, still bearing that worried look Cyborg had seen early that morning.

"I think we need to do something. For Raven," he said. Robin, now paying attention, spoke up.

"We're doing everything we can, Beast Boy. We're working with the League to-"

"No, I get that," Beast Boy said, interrupting Robin. "But we need to do something else. We're trying to keep her safe, right? I think we need her to _feel_ safe, y'know? She's used to her powers and now all of a sudden they're useless and... wait. I got it!" Beast Boy laughed at his own genius, leaving his two friends in the dark.

"Well spit it out, dude!" Cyborg yelled. Beast Boy stopped capering and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. He moved closer to them, speaking quietly with a small, determined smile.

"You guys are great at weapons tech, right? Couldn't you guys give her a coupla things? Stuff she could use to fight this shadow-creep off if she has to?" he asked. They stared at him.

"Beast Boy..." Robin said. "That's... that's a great idea!" he enthused, slightly annoyed he hadn't thought of it. Cyborg was smiling, already building in his head. Muttering to himself, the cybernetic hero stood and headed to his workshop, occasionally snickering as a new idea would come to him. Robin was perfectly still, deep in his own thoughts. He flashed a smirk at Beast Boy and exited, heading to his own armory. Beast Boy revelled in his success for a moment before the realisation struck that he had nothing to contribute. He grinned as yet another good idea popped up, immediately heading to the window and transforming into a swift, darting toward the city. High above, on the roof of the Tower, Starfire spied the green avian zipping toward Jump City.

"Beast Boy?" she thought out loud. Raven, meditating behind her, cracked one eye open.

"What about him?" she asked. Starfire turned to her apologetically, not meaning to disrupt her friend's meditation.

"I saw him flying toward the city, Raven. I suppose he is visiting with Terri of the pizza," she said with mild annoyance. Raven closed her eye.

"No, I don't think so," she responded.

"What makes you so certain, Raven?" Starfire asked.

"They're not dating anymore," Raven answered, suddenly apprehensive and wondering if she should have shared her ill-gotten tidbit. There was no response from the alien so Raven once again cracked open one eye... "Um... Hello, Starfire." Raven's entire field of vision was filled with Starfire's green eyes, her face barely an inch from Raven's.

"You know this, Raven? How are you privy to this information?!" Starfire squealed.

"I... I overheard them last night. He called her while on guard outside my room," Raven clarified.

"Is Beast Boy alright?" Starfire continued. Raven nodded.

"Yes, just a little... regretful. They had an argument and decided not to see each other again. It was only one date so I suppose neither of them were especially attached." The alien smiled at Raven's assurances.

"I am glad, Raven. But perhaps this presents an opportunity! Now that Beast Boy is no longer paired, you might eventually reveal your own interest in him," Starfire gushed, her imagination already running wild. Raven, who had returned to her attempted meditation, answered quietly.

"He... already knows," she mumbled. Her eyes snapped open when she felt Starfire's hands clamp down on her shoulders, catching a glimpse of her eyes shining with green light before they looked skyward. Having been at the mercy of Starfire's more excitable tendencies over the years, Raven endured with slight irritation when she rocketed into the air, dragging Raven with her. Once they were high above the tower, Starfire took a deep breath.

"_WHAAAT?!"_ she bellowed. Raven squinted a little before sighing again.

"He found out last night. I freaked out on him a little and it all just... spilled out of me." Starfire became a little more subdued at Raven's words, though a new shred of excitement appeared.

"Did he perform the breaking up with Terri before or after his discovery of your interest?" she asked.

"After. But he didn't leave her for me... not exactly," Raven answered. At Starfire's inquisitive gaze, Raven related the entire story of last night's events, stumbling a little when retelling her minor breakdown in Beast Boy's arms. Starfire's eyes grew large and sad, pulling her friend into a firm but gentle embrace. Raven tried to smile reassuringly and pat her friend on the back, though it came off a little awkward. Pulling back a little and still supporting Raven's weight, Starfire sniffled.

"I must beg your forgiveness, Raven. I was unaware of your torment, dearest of friends and I have wronged you with my ignorance!" Raven, surpisingly, snickered a little at Starfire's drama. "What must I do to earn your friendship back?" she wailed.

"Nothing, Star. You haven't lost my friendship and even if you had, you would already have earned it again - you listen, Star. That's all I need," Raven assured her. Starfire smiled again.

"Glorious! I must add my oath to Beast Boy's: I shall defend you with all that I am, Raven. It is the least I could do for my friend," she declared. Raven smiled at her.

"Thank you, Starfire. Now let's get back down to the roof," she decided. Now under her own power, Raven led Starfire back to the Tower. When they arrived, Star was still beaming and struggled to land. Raven stared at her and Starfire explained with a light blush.

"I'm afraid the tale of Beast Boy's display of loyalty towards you and the team has filled me with joy, Raven. I may not return to the ground for several minutes," she admitted. "I am glad you are to remain friends even if there is no romance between you." Raven nodded and flushed a little, turning away.

"R-right," she agreed hastily. Starfire's face became more quizzical.

"Raven? Is there something more you wish to say?" she asked. Raven moved to deny anything but, after last night, was more motivated than usual to share her thoughts rather than bottle them up.

"I thought knowing he wasn't interested would let me, I don't know... get over him or something. But the way he stood up for me..." Raven whispered.

"Your feelings have... grown?" Starfire volunteered. Reluctantly, Raven nodded. Starfire's feet touched the ground.

"Unrequited affection is a difficult path, Raven. But you do not walk alone. I swore to defend you and I shall, even if I must battle your own dismay. I will arm myself with my love for you and vanquish your tears. I will guard us with a shield of girl-talk and protect us both from the stupidity and the ickiness of boys!" Starfire smiled at Raven who was chuckling silently at the joke while still being delighted by Starfire's dedication to her. Lighter of heart, the pair descended the stairs and made their way back to the common room, only to find it empty save for Robin. Seeing them enter, he jumped to his feet, grinning. Raven could sense his pride.

"Raven! I have something for you. It's not here, it's in the armory. Come on, I'll show you." Glancing at each other, Raven and Starfire followed, Raven also rolling her eyes at the word 'armory'. She tended to think of it as Robin's walk-in wardrobe. As they followed him in their eyes widened. Hanging in seperate glass cylinders were three costumes: one of Starfire's, one of Beast Boy's and one of Raven's minus the cloak. Starfire hovered toward her own while Raven inspected the copy of her leotard.

"Another uniform?" she asked. Robbin nodded.

"Yeah, I started work on them a while back. It's never been a high priority so I've just been tinkering in my spare time. These uniform share some of the protective and defensive attributes as my own. Stab-proofing, fire resistance, that sort of thing. Also, I've just added the finishing touches to yours: an emergency counter-measure that stuns your assailant. It's like an all-over taser. Considering this enemy's magic resistance, I wanted to give you an edge for the worst case scenario. It's a prototype and so not very comfortable - you might want to wear it over your own leotard for now." Robin folded his arms across his chest and beamed with satisfaction. Raven smiled politely and thanked him, taking the gift gently. Starfire appeared a little disappointed she couldn't have hers yet but Robin confessed he hadn't been able to make the fabric anything like as durable as Starfire herself. After Raven had changed, they did a few light manoeuvres in the training room. The extra leotard didn't seem to slow Raven down and, after a time, she barely noticed it. Robin was a skilled craftsman. When they returned to the common room, Cyborg entered behind them, grease and grime evidencing his time in the workshop.

"Rae! I've got a present for you," he said excitedly. Raven raised her eyebrow at this 'coincidence' but followed him anyway. He led them to a seldom-visited room: a firing range. Cyborg was the only real user of the room when he modified or calibrated his own sonic weaponry or those he would mount on the T-Car. Waiting on a nondescript bench was a small pistol, white with blue highlights and smoother and sleeker than your average firearm. Cyborg picked it up and aimed it a target with a little difficulty, the grip being too small for his large hands. Blue light arced from the weapon and destroyed the target. Grinning, he handed the device to Raven and pointed out the safety and trigger. There were no other controls. He had decided that simplicity was best in this case.

"Thank you, Cyborg," Raven said. "But I'm not exactly a marksman."

"That's fine," he replied. "The range on this is pretty short. It won't hurt anything more than 20 metres away. This is a defensive weapon. If you want, you can spend some time on the range, get a little practice under your belt, y'know?" Acknowledging the need, Raven spent a half-hour at the range. It turned out she was a natural or so Cyborg said. When they returned, Raven half-expected Beast Boy to ply her with ninja sci-fi merchandise to help her fight the shadow creature... but he wasn't there. Hiding her disappointment, the four friends relaxed in front of the TV. A little later, Raven moved to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, casually asking the others if they wanted anything.

"Sure, I'll have a soda." Raven spun around. Beast Boy stood there, grinning sheepishly. She shook her head and returned to her tea, though she also poured a glass of Soder Cola.

"You've been gone a while," she said, simply. He nodded.

"Yeah. I had something that needed to be done," he said. Raven momentarily feared he had gone to Terri before disregarding the idea. He had made his thoughts obvious last night.

What kind of 'something'?" she asked, sipping her drink. Beast Boy took a gulp of his own before answering.

"Shopping, actually," he chuckled. Without saying more he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package of plain, brown paper, pressing it into Raven's hand. She placed her cup on the counter and opened it. A small object fell into her hand.

"A whistle?" she asked.

"A _dog_ whistle," Beast Boy amended. "With this, you'll be able to call me without others hearing. In human form, my hearing's still above the typical human range. And I checked: I _can_ hear this whistle. Go ahead, try it out!" Raven cautiously put the whistle to her lips and blew. There was no sound and the others on the couch didn't notice anything. Beast Boy, however, winced and wiggled his finger in his ear. "Okay! You can stop now, Rae," he laughed.

"Oh... sorry," she said.

"No need, Rae. Anyway, this'll help me find you in case... just in case. Sooo yeah..." Raven gave him a tiny smile and secreted the whistle in one of her new uniform's pockets.

"Thank you... Garfield," she whispered, gratefully. She briefly took his hand and squeezed it before letting go and returning to the sofa. Raven's gesture had reminded Beast Boy of his nearly-forgotten dream and his cheeks flushed. He was confused by a sudden impulse to grab her hand again, though the opportunity had passed. He realised that spending so much time around Raven was seeming less like a duty and more like a privilege. Or a gift. Or a _chance_.

And that confused him more than anything.

**Okay! Another chapter down. Everyone seems to be taking the the threat more seriously, especially as even together with the League, they haven't had any luck. But the team are more dedicated than ever to her protection and helping her protect herself if need be. What will happen next? And what of Beast Boy's dreams: an insight into his emotions or just an effect of processing Raven's confession? Time will tell. Read. Enjoy (hopefully). Review. Laters.**

**-Jack**


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